St. Lawrence Market

By Monday, we had enjoyed so many movies we'd morphed into couch potatoes. Since my bum had begun to resemble a movie theater seat, I suggested we go for a walk... to a market :D

Now, this isn't just any market. This is St. Lawrence Market, the oldest food hall in Toronto, known for excellent produce and prepared food. Its first Farmers Market took place in 1803, when traders from across Ontario gathered to sell fruit, vegetables, bread, cheese, and meat. Today, the market is home to over 120 vendors, from bakers and butchers to cheese and fishmongers.

Inside, the market is all hustle and bustle. (Photo credit: Kiril Strax)

When my mom, sister, and I walked through the front door, we encountered a barrage of colors and smells. Stinky cheese wafted down the walkway and fruit sat piled in pyramids. We spotted artisanal mustard and jam and plenty of pickles. The scent of savory sandwiches and empanadas filled the air. There was a little bit of everything, and it was all incredibly high quality.

(Photo credit: Expedia)

We agreed to grab a variety of food and make a meal of small bites. We sampled as much cheese as humanly possible (all in the name of research, of course) before the cheesemonger abruptly cut us off. I guess we were depleting his samples. Oops. Brenna and I debated our cheese choices before selecting a soft, floral French Brie and a salty, flakey Canadian cheddar.

Cutting the cheese, literally. (Photo credit: Canadian Tourism Commission).

While in the cheese shop, some small jars caught my eye. I moved closer, and saw creamy white yogurt layered atop colorful fruit. Several jars contained a deep purple puree (black currant) while others held bright yellow fruit (a mix of mango, banana, and passion fruit). Maybe I'm a sucker for adorable European style jars, or maybe I just love dairy (answer: both!). Either way, they looked delightful so I grabbed a few. Later, when I ate one for breakfast, I learned these were actually fromage blanc, a yogurt-like French dessert. In my opinion, it's totally ok to have dessert for breakfast while on vacation.

Sticking with the theme of “zero calorie French food,” I selected some foie gras. Whitehouse Meats, which has a stall in the middle of the market, looked best. The butcher I spoke with showed me their Mousse de Foie Gras; according to him, they blend the liver with a little cream to achieve a melt-in-your-mouth smoothness. This mousse is completely different from the other foie gras products they offer, such as fresh and raw whole livers, or the bloc de foie gras, which has a much firmer texture. I prefer the creaminess and spreadability of the mousse. When I asked for other suggestions, the butcher waxed poetic about how a dollop of Mousse de Foie Gras would melt beautifully atop a hot, freshly grilled steak. Yum!

Intrigued, I checked out the rest of Whitehouse Meats. Funnily enough, they carry a bunch of obscure, unusual game, from camel to emu to pheasant. Have a craving for crocodile burgers? You’re in luck! If you want it, they likely have it.

After gawking at meat, I dropped into another cheese shop for some toppings. Since berries and foie gras are a match made in heaven, I chose two jams – wild blueberry and cherry-merlot.

The fruit and wine jam was a tasty match for foie gras. (Photo credit: Provisions Food Company)

Of course we needed carbs to slather it all on, so I grabbed some crispy toast crackers. We top off our quest for antipasto with a variety of olives (green, black, brown), cherry peppers stuffed with feta, dolmas, eggplant dip, and goat cheese wrapped in prosciutto. We threw in some fresh figs that looked plump and juicy.

Famished by our intense shopping trip, we ran back to the airbnb and created a delicious spread of all the antipasto. Everyone loved the crackers slathered with foie gras and jam, but the cheese was a close contender.

(Photo credit: Breakaway Experiences)

St. Lawrence Market was a lovely stop on our food tour of Toronto. You can come to sample everything from fruit to mustard to seafood, or stop by to soak up the hustle and bustle of a busy marketplace. Although we only explored the food hall, St. Lawrence has three buildings total, full of antiques shopping, small exhibits, and the occasional cooking class to improve your culinary skills. If you're looking for new pots and pans or an obscure kitchen tool, you can find that too. After visiting St. Lawrence, it's clear why National Geographic once voted it the world’s best food market. Whether you're looking for ham or jam, pastries or pickles, one thing's for sure: you won't leave hungry!